The present invention relates to an OWG plug connector for a mechanically releasable connection between at least one OWG connector and a printed circuit board.
Such plug-in systems can be used wherever there are optical signal transmissions. Thus, the transmission of information is effected via OWGs on account of the constantly increasing requirements made of the transmission rate (25 to 50 Mbit/s), for example in modern automobiles.
The printed documents DE 44 12 571 and DE 195 25 739 have disclosed OWG plug connectors which butt directly against an active element, for example a transceiver. This means that the active element is situated in the mating connector. For structural reasons, the OWG connector projects from the OWG plug connector. The OWG plug connector together with active element are usually fitted on the housing exterior of a multimedia device, such as e.g. a CD player, in order to minimize the attenuation between OWG connector and active element.
In this case, it is particularly disadvantageous that the interface between OWG and active element is arranged without any protection outside the device and is particularly susceptible to electromagnetic interference. This solution is unsuitable for the transmission rates required, since the EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) decreases as the transmission rate increases. Furthermore, it is disadvantageous that the OWG presses directly onto the active element, since, in the event of external mechanical influences, such as e.g. vibration, the optical surface may be damaged and attenuation is thus produced at the OWG conductor/active element junction.
Moreover, plug connectors have been disclosed in which the OWG connector butts against the active element and the two are subsequently potted jointly with epoxy resin.
In this case, it is particularly disadvantageous that, on the one hand, the connection between OWG connector and active element is no longer releasable and, on the other hand, as a result of material fatigue, the resin becomes dull, the fibre acquires hairline cracks or the connection tears completely, with the result that the attenuation becomes ever greater over time in the first and second cases and transmission is no longer possible in the third case.
The object of the invention is to specify a plug connector for a mechanically releasable connection between at least one OWG connector and a printed circuit board which, to the largest extent possible, is insensitive to EM interference without it causing appreciable attenuation in the process.
This object is achieved by means of the features specified in the claims.
The second optical waveguide plug connector is equipped, for a mechanically releasable connection between at least one OWG connector and a printed circuit board, with a housing comprising at least one chamber for accommodating an OWG connector and at least one cavity for accommodating an active element, the cavity and the chamber being connected via a hole, and also with a printed circuit board having continuous openings for latching feet of the housing, on the one hand, and for connecting pins, on the other hand, with at least one OWG connector, the end piece of which is bounded by an exit face, and with at least one active element, in which case at least three elastic shoulders are integrally formed on the inner walls of the cavity in such a way that the active region of the active element arranged in the cavity is oriented centrally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hole and is arranged underneath the hole. Furthermore, when the OWG connector is situated in the chamber, then the end piece projects into the cavity, with the result that a minimum defined spacing is produced between the exit face and the active region. In addition, the latching feet pass through the openings in order to fasten the housing to the printed circuit board.
In the case of plug connectors having a plurality of OWG cables, the OWG connectors may have lugs operating as codings which guarantee the capability of fitting the respective chambers.
It is preferable for the second OWG connector to be embodied as a xe2x80x9cpigtailxe2x80x9d for an active element. A xe2x80x9cpigtailxe2x80x9d is to be understood to mean an optical extension cable for an active element; in this case, the one end can be connected directly to the active element and the other element is preformed with a second OWG connector. This affords the possibility of banishing the active element from the mating connector and arranging it at a suitable location in terms of EMC. The plug connector is now independent of the development of the active element, with the result that the plug connector may survive a number of active element generations, since every new development of the active element may entail a development of a new mechanical interface between active element and OWG.